Electric light fixture



Aung. 30, 1949. l C, M, MQRETZ 2,480,301`

I ELECTRIC LIGHT FIXTURE Filed Feb. l, 1946 I. Z2 "illy/gy 20 Patented Aug. 30, 1949 UNITED STATES T F F ICE ELECTRIC `LIGHYI` Y Clayton M. Moretz, Sarsina@ N. C,

Application February 1, 19d-, Serial ENQ. 644,791 comme. (c1. cen-naa 1 The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in electric Ilight iixtures especially ladapted for use Awith fluorescent lamps and more particularly to a ceiling fix-ture of this character.

An important object of the invention is to prorvide a hang-ing ceiling lamp including a circular :fluorescent tube supported thereon together' with novel 'conductor Vmeans. -between the tube and .the lamp.

A further object of the invention is to provide a connector for the ends of the -circular fluorescent tube embodying a sleeve in which the ends of the tube are received, the sleeve constituting an electric plug having prongs projecting radially therefrom and adapted for engagement in a socket at one side of the lamp and arranged for contacting engagement by a rotary movement of the sleeve on the ends of the tube.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a yieldable supporting bracket for the tube whereby pressure is exerted on the tube in a manner to maintain the plug in electrical contact with the socket.

A further object is to provide an electric light xture of this character of simple and practical construction, which is neat and attractive in appearance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevational View with parts broken away and shown in section.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on aline 3-3 'of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing in detail Ywherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates a frusto-conical bowl of hollow construction and of any suitable material, such as glass, plastic, metal or the like, the bowl being closed at its top as shown at 6.

Surrounding the bowl in spaced relation therefrom are one or more circular uorescent tubes 'I, the ends of the tube being connected to each other by a sleeve 8 havin-g a central partition 9 separating the ends of the tube from each other. The sleeve 8 is of insulation material and positioned in each end of the sleeve is a liner I0 of conductive material from each of which a plug II projects radially outwardly through one side of the sleeve to form an electric plug to provide an 2 electrical connection for the tubein the usual mann-er.

The 'sleeve 8 is v'rotatably mounted on the yend .of :the vtube 'I. for freeing :the .prongs of the plug II -nrto :and out of :a recess I2 fin one .side of the bowl-i5 or in a :body A.of electrically insulative vmaterial :secured in `the 'bowl and Awhich recesses ,tom sockets :in :which spaced apart .spring Leontact fingers I3 are positioned for receiving the prongs. The contact lingers I3 of the socket are provided with terminals I4 projecting within the bowl 5 for connection with an electric circuit extending from the bowl through a pipe I5 rising from the top 6 thereof.

The upper edges ofthe bowl may also be provided with apertured lugs I6 to which chains (not shown) may be attached for suspending the fixture from the ceiling of a room.

The prongs I I of the electric plug are urged into engagement with the contact I3 of the socket by means of one or more spring projected brackets I'I including a rod I8 slidably mounted in a recess I9 in the side of the bowl 5, the rod having an arcuate head 20 on its outer end bearing against the inner edge of the tube 'I. The rod I8 is projected outwardly by means of a coil spring 2| mounted thereon and engaging a washer 22 secured to the rod. The rod is limited in its outward movement when the tube I is removed by means of a pin or cotter key 23 carried transversely at the inner end of the rod.

In assembling the fixture the tube 1 is placed around the bowl 5 with one edge of the tube seated against the arcuate head 20 of the bracket I1 and the prongs I I of the electric plug swung into position for engaging the contact I3 by rotating the sleeve 8 on the ends of the tube from the dotted line position to the full line position as shown in Figure 1. A spring projected bracket I'I maintains the tube in spaced relation from the bowl 5 and with the prongs I I of the plug in contacting engagement with the socket of the bowl.

While I have illustrated the bowl of frustoconical shape it will be understood that the same may be of any desired shape or conguration and any desired number of the tubes 'I may be mounted inposition thereon.

It is believed that the details of construction, manner of use and advantages of the device Will be readily understood from the foregoing without further detailed explanation.

l It is to be understood, however, that even though I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention the same is susceptible of certain changes fully comprehended 3 by the spirit of the invention as herein described, and the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An illuminating device comprising a frustoconical bowl having recesses in opposite sides thereof, a pair of spaced-apart spring contacts in a recess at one side of said bowl, a spring-projected bracket mounted in a recess in said bowl at the opposite side of the latter from said contacts and having an arcuate head, a circular fluorescent tube surrounding said bowl in spaced relation thereto, a sleeve receiving the adjacent end portions of said tube, a pair of prongs projecting from said sleeve and respectively received by said contacts, and a spring in the bracket receiving recess of said bowl urging said bracket head into eng-agement with said tube opposite said sleeve and together with said prongs and said contacts, holding said tube on said bowl in spaced relation thereto.

2. An illuminating device comprising a frustoconical bowl having recesses in opposite sides thereof, a pair of spaced-apart spring contacts in a recess at one side of said bowl, a spring- 4 on said rod, and a coil spring surrounding said rod between said washer and the bottom of said recess to resiliently urge said rod outwardly of said recess, a circular fluorescent tube surrounding said bowl in spaced relation thereto, a sleeve rotatively mounted on the adjacent end portions of said tube, and a pair of prongs projecting from said sleeve and respectively received by said spring contacts, said arcuate head of said bracket engaging said tube at a location opposite said sleeve and together with said prongs and said contacts, holding said tube on said bowl in spaced relation thereto.

CLAYTON M. MORETZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the viile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,309,676 Schmidling Feb. 2, 1943 2,350,462 Johns June 6, 1944 2,392,785 Thomas Jan. 8, 1946 2,413,662 Thomas Dec. 31, 1946 2,419,965 Pieper May 6, 1947 2,435,715 Headings Feb. 10, 1948 

